<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>cringe planet with the fail storms by LadyDanger420</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25693420">cringe planet with the fail storms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDanger420/pseuds/LadyDanger420'>LadyDanger420</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Half Life VR But The AI Is Self-Aware</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Benrey is a funky little lizard dude, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Thunderstorms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:26:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,115</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25693420</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDanger420/pseuds/LadyDanger420</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Benrey lived his entire life on Earth in an underground science facility. There's no storms in Black Mesa.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Benrey/Gordon Freeman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>345</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's not explicitly stated but Gordon and Benrey are together as a couple here.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gordon glanced out the window when he heard a familiar rumbling. A storm was rolling in, a proper New Mexico thunderstorm. It had been a while since he'd experienced one, what with the Incident and all. His favorite thing to do when it stormed was sitting on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa and watching the lightning play in the clouds outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood up from his desk chair, stretching and hearing his back pop a few times. Probably should've taken a break before now, but better late than never.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I wonder where Benrey is</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought idly, scratching at his stomach with one hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making his way towards the kitchen eventually answered his question—his roommate-slash-partner was perched on the couch, staring out of the sliding glass doors at the sky. He fidgeted with his hat, tugging at the earflaps and rocking in place slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Satisfied that Benrey wasn't getting into trouble, he made his way into the kitchen to start preparing some hot cocoa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another rumble of thunder shook the house, followed by a quiet whining sound from the living room. Gordon glanced over the bar, furrowing his brow at what he saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey had gone tense, pulling his hat tight over his head. He was small right now, and his fingers had started to shift into claws that dug into the soft fabric over his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cocoa could wait. He didn't think about how frightening a thunderstorm could be, especially for someone who'd lived his whole life either on an alien world or in an underground facility. He made his way out into the living room, speaking up as he approached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, man, you doin' okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey flinched, snapping his head towards the man. His face was partially shadowed by the hat, but Gordon could see his eyes glowing through the gloom. His pupils were barely-visible slits, but they rounded out after settling on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"yeah, bro, just uhhhhh," he smacked his lips, glancing out the door from the corner of his eye. "cringe sky noise. totally not poggers."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another crack of thunder startled a burst of sweet voice out of him, the stream of luminous orbs flowing from black to a bright red.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Black to cherry means something's scary</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm." Gordon hummed, tapping his fingers against his leg as he thought. Joshua hadn't ever been scared of storms, so he didn't have any experience in this department, but…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wanna hug?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey refocused his attention entirely on him, tail twitching slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"for real, bro? no, uh, no jokes? hug for your best friend benrey please and thank you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, c'mere." He smiled, opening his arms up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey launched himself off the couch directly into his arms. Gordon managed to catch him with minimal stumbling—he was only about the size of a particularly large housecat at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The alien buried his face in his shoulder, arms latching around his neck and his tail curled loosely around Gordon's arm. The physicist didn't mind, instead choosing to sit down on the couch and running a hand down his back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey let out a quiet keening sound when another roll of thunder broke the silence, pressing tighter against Gordon's chest like he was trying to permanently fuse with the man. Gordon just hummed softly, stroking the soft mane of black hair that ran down the little alien's spine. It seemed to be helping—at least, Benrey had relaxed his grip so there weren't claws digging into the back of his neck anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay, it's just a storm. It'll be over soon." He murmured gently. "I'm right here, don't worry."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Gordon gets a chance to be Smol</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Y'all wanted some more of this, so here you go. Content warnings for mentions of canon-typical violence.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gordon bolted upright with a strangled shout, fingers curled in a bruising grip around what remained of his severed arm. Oh God he was gonna bleed out, they were going to kill him-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud crack sent him diving to the floor, covering his head with his remaining hand to protect it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something touched his shoulder and he screamed, scrambling back away from it. He couldn't see, couldn't find any weapons, whatever was in here with him would kill him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"woah, hey, s'just me bro. just your best friend benrey." A familiar monotone slipped past the layers of fear and panic, slowly pulling him back to reality. "you, uh, back from the bad brain vacation? got your passport all stamped and shit?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gordon blinked a few times before finally managing to focus his eyes in the dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey was crouched a few feet away from him, one hand partially extended towards him—oh, he must've been the one to touch his shoulder—and staring at him with what he'd come to learn was a worried expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I-. H-. Y-yeah." He managed to stammer out, uncurling from the defensive huddle he'd forced himself into during his panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"poggers. wanna hug?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The physicist chuckled weakly, rubbing tears off his cheeks with a shaky grin before nodding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y- yeah, that sounds- I'd like that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"kay. gonna get the best, uhh, best fuckin gamer hug of your life. knock your socks off, real shit." And with that semi-nonsensical statement Benrey picked him up like a baby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Woah-!" Gordon yelped, not expecting to be swept off the floor like that. He grabbed ahold of Benrey's shirt, looking up at him. "You, uh. You're feelin' big tonight, huh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The former guard nodded with a little hum. "big for uh. big bro hugs. squeeze all the bad brain juice outta your cringe head." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gordon laughed a little bit at that, wiggling his toes while Benrey carried him back to bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey laid down, still holding Gordon against his chest. One hand rested on the man's back, tracing idle patterns while the other combed through his hair. It was surprisingly relaxing, despite the creak of protest the bed had made when they'd gotten back in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Could you, um." Gordon flushed, hiding his face against Benrey's shirt. "N- never mind."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"nooo, bro, no take backs. totally not poggers, you gotta tell me. 'gainst the rule-zuh."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The scientist blushed hotter, trying to bury his face in the alien's chest but was ultimately unsuccessful when Benrey tilted his head up with a hand under his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"C-can I have a kiss please?" He finally managed to squeak out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey's face lit up—if he didn't know better he could've sworn there were hearts in his eyes. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> yeah, bro. get in here, got lots'a smooches for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gordon pulled himself closer to Benrey's face, closing the distance and brushing a quick kiss against his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey retaliated by kissing every inch of his face that he could reach, despite his laughing protests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them noticed the storm continuing outside.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Me? Writing fic about gay aliens being afraid of thunder?? It's more likely than you think.</p><p>Also this is the second time I've given Gordon a funky lizard companion, it's becoming a pattern.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>